Product & Transport Design

RCZ design review

It’s good to see Peugeot releasing something other than a hatchback. This popular sports compact from Peugeot has sold more than 30,000 units, thanks to its unique look.

Many people say that it looks like an Audi TT, but I think it looks better than an Audi TT. The line flow of the vehicle is more interesting, there are features and character lines which aren’t present in a TT.

The front has the standard Peugeot badge sink and pointy headlights, standards through out Peugeot design, giving a distinctive character to the look of the vehicle.

What is unusual about the design of the vehicle is that (similarly on the TT) it has a smooth curvature flow from the A to C pillar. I think the side profile of the vehicle is not particularly attractive, as there is too much of a symmetry and cause the visual weight of the vehicle to be too centralized This means that most of the curves’ peak are in the middle and it doesn’t give a sense of motion and direction to the car. If we look at a silhouette outline of the vehicle, you might struggle with determining which way round is the front and which is the back.

Personally, I would bring the vanishing point of the vehicle back and thus bringing the visual weight of the vehicle back, making the lines look more dynamic and give a better sense of flow and motion.